Can't Take It
by thisisawittypenname
Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Wish I did. Maybe for Christmas…..

A/N: This one is pretty long… and the first few chapters focus on the case rather than Nick and Sara, but I think it makes it more real and in the end a better read. So… here we go!

His house was nice. Not huge by any means, but big enough for more than him. Big enough for kids, big enough for maybe even a dog. He smiled, fingering the diamond ring in his pocket. Now all he needed was for Karen to say "Yes". A contented sigh escaped him as he beamed at his reflection in the mirror. _Tonight_ he is convinced _will be my lucky night_.

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Dinner had gone amazingly well. They cooked together in his kitchen, later to eat on paper plated in the living room, laughing over reruns of Friends. He slipped in a comment about how right this felt, and she agreed, smiling. It _did_ feel comfortable, she'd admitted, and that's when he fished the ring from his pocket. He must have said something right because the next thing he knows she's wrapped her hands around his neck and, tears streaming down her face, kissed her consent. And he was happy. It wasn't until later, when they were cuddled on a plush chair in the living room, that his smile vanished. "What's wrong?" she asked, before she turned around and saw for herself the man with the knife.

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"One DB inside, put up one hell of a fight from the looks of it" Brass rambled as Grissom approached him, kit in hand. "You just missed out only witness. Paramedics took off just now. From what I saw she was banged up pretty badly; in and out of consciousness, probably had a concussion. But I'll leave the official diagnosis to the doctors at the Desert Palm, huh?"

Grissom merely raised an eyebrow before sighing, "Did David check the body yet? Do we have cause of death, or a time frame?"

The two walked inside the house as brass replied. "Not yet, but I wouldn't worry about that now. You've got a pretty extensive crime scene." Grissom stopped at the doorway leading to the living room, and almost surprised expression lingering on his face. The room looked as if a tornado had blown through, and then some. Brass just sighed, "You might want to call in some more of you r people for this one, Gil."

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Sara and Nick arrived together, Nick pulling the car next to the curb and letting out a low whistle. Sara just shook her head. The lawn was crawling with cops, paramedics packing up, nosy neighbors crowding behind yellow crime scene tape… you name it. She turned towards Nick. "Let's go see what Grissom's got for us."

They didn't have to wait long; Grissom met the duo at the door. "Nick, take the perimeter. Find out how the guy got in, how he got out."

"Sure thing, boss" Nick nodded solemnly.

"Sara" Grissom continued, "You're with me inside. On DB and, according to Jim, one witness listed serious condition at the Desert Palms hospital. A lot of blood, a lot of stuff…"

"A lot of evidence." Sara finished, sighing. "Let's go." She and Grissom left Nick, who began to process the front door, to walk further inside the house, stopping in the living room. "Whoah" Sara muttered.

The place was a mess. Blood spatter on the furthest wall, overturned furniture; the pictures handing on the walls were either crooked or torn down. The coffee table near the couch had a corner dripping in plod, and the window looking out to the backyard was shattered.

"I'll start dusting for prints" Sara said, pulling the necessary tools from her kit. "You want to take the blood?" And with that, the two CSIs got to work.

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"Hey, Greggo" Nick grinned, walking into the lab. "Got anything off those prints I lifted from the front door?"

Greg whirled around to face him, "Not yet. Get me the prints of your vic and his hot date for the night…" –here Greg waggled his eyebrows- "and we, well, that is to say I, can start matching the prints up. You've got about eleven clean samples, sot he first step is ruling the vic's prints out. Until you tell me what exactly I'm looking for..."

Nick just shook his head, accepting the manila folder Greg handed to him and looking inside. "No hits on Codis? Man, why do I get the feeling I'll be pulling a double this shift?"

Greg laughed as Nick walked out of the lab to meet up with Grissom and Sara in the break room. He tossed the folder on to the table in front of them. "No hits… Greg can't do anything with the prints until we give him something to compare them to."

Grissom rubbed his temples. "Ok, we'll got o autopsy, get some prints off of our vic. The girl's still in the hospital so we'll have to wait a while on hers. But still, that's two prints down."

"Which only leaves about nine samples" Nick informed his supervisor, taking a sear next to Sara.

Grissom groaned inwardly before Sara asked, "Fine. So what else do we have? Gris and I got two viable blood samples from the wall and the table, probably our vic's, and one from a broken champagne glass we found behind the chair, probably not out vic's." She went on, "Prints and DNA from the glasses, and some trace from the DB; hair strand with skin tag still intact. I also found something on the floor near the table. Some sort of mineral. Looked like diamond, but it was only a fragment. Trace is on it now."

Nick added, "I've got a footprint in the flowerbed outside the broken window, and some trace, looks like some sort of fabric… cotton, maybe, from the broken glass in the window. Also, our perp must've know the vic, like had a key or something. No sign of forced entry on either front or back door."

Grissom got up, and poured himself some coffee. "So if all of our findings are in the lab, there are only two things left to do. I'm going to meet Al in autopsy. You two go down to Desert Palms and see if you can't get a visit with our vic."

Nick grinned at Sara as Grissom exited the room, and beat her to the punch: "I drive."

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To be continued

A/N: Hope you guys like it. I'm sensing quite a few more chapters, and of course, the promised Nick/Sara interaction. Next chapter; Grissom goes to autopsy, Nick and Sara pay Karen a visit, and the first hint of Snickers.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: Still don't own it. But if I did the world would be good. And I would be happy.

A/N: I'm glad that you guys liked it so far… at first I was kind of nervous about it, but even my sister like it, and I think she's a tough critic. Plus, if it sucks, she'll tell me. And then call me a moron. :D Just kidding (sort of). Anyways, on with the fic!

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"What do you have for me, Doc?" Grissom asked as he walked into the morgue, meeting Al by the table. The victim was already laid out under the generic white sterile sheet, bruising on his upper arms and face glaringly obvious under the harsh lighting.

"How about a name?" Al greeted his friend with a small smile. "Found his wallet in his back pocket. Gil, meet Jack Hobbes. Hi stuff's already bagged for you when you're done here." He pointed towards a large evidence bag sitting on another table.

"Thanks" Grissom responded. "So…what's the cause of death? This?" He ran a latex-covered finger along a violent looking slit on the victim's neck.

"Yes" Al confirmed. "By the looks of the cut I'd say your perp got him from behind; clean slash from left to right. Damage to the trachea and carotid artery. Bled out pretty quickly, I'd imagine." He pointed to the man's face. "Bruises are peri-mortem, and so is the cut on his cheek."

"So we're looking for a knife" Grissom mused aloud.

"Yes. Something with serrated edges…similar to a steak knife. Was one missing from the house?"

"We didn't check" Grissom said, "I'll have Sara or Nick go back. So you're thinking this was a crime of opportunity?"

Al cautioned him, "I wouldn't say that. Take a look at this." He lifted the sheet, revealing the man's torso. Bruises and small cuts were abundant, but what interested Grissom were four deep slits forming a square on the man's left pectoral.

"He was trying to cut out the guy's _heart_?" Grissom asked aloud in disbelief.

"Post-mortem" Al confirmed grimly. "This was personal."

Grissom sighed. "Anything else?"

"Just defensive wounds on his hands."

"I'll take a swab under his nails and get his prints to Greg. Maybe we'll get a hit."

"I hope so" said Al, replacing the white sheet over the man's face as Grissom left the morgue. "I hope so."

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"Miss Gordan?" Nick asked, knocking on the hospital door as he and Sara entered. The woman on the bed nodded slowly from under thick bandages. "Hi Miss Gordan" Nick spoke gently, "I'm Nick Stokes and this is Sara Sidle. We're with the Las Vegas Crime Lab and we were hoping we could ask you a few questions about last night."

The woman nodded, so Nick and Sara pulled up two chairs. "How are you feeling, Miss Gordan?" Sara asked.

"Call me Karen" the woman spoke in a quiet, cracked voice. The pair had to strain to hear her.

"Ok then. Karen, how are you feeling?"

"The doctors said I've got a concussion and a gash along my head, back here." came the whispered reply. Karen winced as she located the cut with her fingers.

"We think you may have hit your head on the edge of the coffee table" Nick provided. "Do you remember what happened?"

The woman sighed and closed her eyes while she spoke. "We, Jack and I, were on the chair…that big brown one in the living room, when his face got all pale. Like he was scared. I asked him what was wrong, and he didn't say anything so I turned around to see what he was looking at. There was this man there, just standing there with a knife. He had some sort of a ski mask on, I couldn't see his face. I think I screamed."

Nick and Sara watched as a single tear trailed down her face. "Miss Gord- Karen." Nick said softly. "If this is too much, we can wait…"

"No" Karen objected in a weak voice. "They told me, they told me that Jack died. I want to know, I need to know, rather, who did it." She sounded so lost, so hopeless, it send a cold shudder through Sara. Nick scooted his chair closer to hers, and draped his arm reassuringly across the back of it.

'_Thank you'_ mouthed Sara, offering Nick a small smile, before she spoke to Karen. "Okay, so what next?"

"He punched me, here" she spoke, gingerly touching nasty looking bruise forming around her eye. "And I fell. He grabbed my arm and picked me up. He told Jack to get up, but not to move. He had the knife to my throat. I, I bit him, and I think I drew blood, and he pushed me away to the ground. I guess I blacked out; that's all I remember. I just, oh God, I just wanted him off of me." She sobbed silently, accepting a tissue from the box Nick offered her from the bedside table.

"Karen?" Sara probed tentatively, "Exactly how were you and Mr. Hobbes involved?"

Karen sniffled, smiling slightly as she recalled, "he proposed to me just last night. That night. We were eating and he pulled out this ring…" Her eyes widened as she suddenly clawed at her left hand. "My ring!" she cried out, eyes rolling to the back of her head as a violent tremor shook through her body before she passed out.

"We need someone in here **now**!" bellowed Nick, sending two nurses charging into the room. Sara and Nick moved into a corner out of the way as the staff attempted to revive her.

"We're so sorry" Sara spoke to them once they'd gotten her vitals under control, watching her even breathing under the heavy lid of sleep.

"It wasn't your fault, dear" the elder of the two assured the pair. "You didn't know that it would be such a shock. All the same, you might want to leave her to rest now…"

The two CSIs nodded, and after printing Karen and offering her their best wishes, they exited into the hallway. They walked in silence to the car, Nick's arm resting comfortingly on Sara's shoulders. And, even though it wasn't the time to worry about it, Nick noticed that the contact sent an agreeable shiver up his spine.

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A/N: Well, there's chapter two. Hope you guys like it. So… drop me a line and tell me what you think. Reviews make me giddy with delight. Next chapter, Sara and Nick drop by a used car dealership.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, it wasn't mine. But, hey, a girl can dream.

A/N: Sorry it took a while to update. Well, actually, it only took a few days, so strike that line. I have a term paper rough draft due tomorrow I should be working on, but this is much more fun. So here we go. Oh, before I forget, thanks for the awesome reviews. It's cool to think that people actually take time out of their lives to read something I wrote.

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"Hey Nicky, how's your case going?"

Nick looked up from the tox report for Jack Hobbes he was reviewing. They'd found traces of alcohol, and matched it to the bottle of champagne found in the kitchen of his house. It's what Nick suspected, nothing to suggest poison or anything of the sort, but now it was official. And it confirmed Karen's "romantic night gone wrong" scenario, although he personally didn't need a report to believe her. The DA did though.

"It's going alright, Cath. I'm just waiting on some stuff in the lab…Grissom's at the scene, getting a possible weapon. Sara's pouring over our vic's possessions. What kind of case did you pull?"

Catherine took a sip of her coffee before making a face and adding some sugar. Another sip to make sure the coffee tasted alright, and she responded, "Well, you guys definitely pulled the best case of the night. I got a B&E down at a liquor store just off the strip, and Warrick got a missing persons with Greg." She took a seat across from Nick. "So what's your next move?"

"I figure I'll check in with Sara, see if she needs some help" he shrugged.

"Too late" Sara announced, walking into the room, a grin creeping across her face. She grabbed tow waters from the break room fridge, tossing one to Nick before crashing on the couch and opening hers. "I've just finished. Nothing new from the vic's clothes, but in his wallet? Crumpled note that looks suspicious, and his work ID card. Looks like he owns a used car dealerships. I'm thinking plenty of disgruntled workers for suspects?"

Nick pointed a finger at her and teased, "Now, now, Sara, don't get ahead of the evidence."

Sara just rolled her eyes, rewarding Nick with a gap-tooth grin. Nick just laughed before asking, "So what' this about a note?"

Catherine took another sip of her coffee, watching the antics of the two young CSIs from behind the rim of her mug.

"Looks like it was written to Karen, can't make much of it out; someone ripped it in a few pieces, but the gist of it is she broke up with someone a while ago, and he wanted Jack out of the picture." Sara said, drinking her water. "Brass says Karen works as Jack's secretary at the dealership, so if someone left it on her desk maybe he found the note before she did?"

"Or she showed it to him" Catherine offered.

Sara nodded as Nick spoke, "Either way, we've got to find out where this note came from."

"Field trip" Sara noted. "Excellent."

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Grissom sighed. This guy, Jack, must've not been a big cook. Not too many guys were, that's true, but the average household should have at least one steak knife, if not a set. This man barely had enough forks to get through the week. Grissom shook his head, feeling a headache coming on. So far, all he found was a set of grommet cooking knives. An unopened set of cooking knives; looked like the kind a person would order off of a late night infomercial. He'd opened the box and tested for blood anyways. Nothing showed up, not that he expected it to. He leaned against the counter, frustrated.

His cell rang. "Grissom" he answered. "Yeah, hey Sara. What? No such luck. This guy apparently had a thing against cutlery…car dealership, huh? Well, until the lab's done with our stuff, it's all we've got. Want some company? Oh, Nick's with you. Sure, ok. See you back at the lab." He hung up, an uncomfortable sensation forming in the pit of his stomach. It felt strangely like…jealousy? Grissom swallowed it quickly; so Sara was bringing Nick. What did he care? He growled angrily in spite of himself, before something on the floor caught his eye…

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"You know, this place doesn't look half-bad for a used car dealership" Sara noted, getting out of the Denali.

"What do you mean?" asked Nick, killing the engine before grabbing their kits from the back.

"Back in San Francisco" she started, accepting her kit from the Texan, "I bought my first, and last, might I add, used car. The place looked a little shady, but I needed a ride. I found so many stains on that thing when I used some lab equipment on it, I didn't even want to know how they all got there!" She winced at the memory while Nick laughed good-naturedly, holding the door open as they walked in the main building.

"Thanks" said Sara, waking inside. They looked around; cheap fluorescent lighting and (in Nick and Sara's opinion) tacky linoleum flooring greeted them, along with a few rows of chairs along the wall. A hallway to their right seemed to lead into a large room filled with desks and relating salespeople. Only one of them was occupied with a customer. To their left was a bored looking girl, no more than 16, manning what appeared to be an information counter. Behind the counter, they saw another small hallway, which looked like it led to the back executive offices.

Nick and Sara approached the girl, who was toying with a strand of choppy black hair, snapping bright pink gum loudly. "Can I help you?" she asked in a bored tone, popping her gum obnoxiously.

"Yeah, actually" Sara replied. "I'm Sara Sidle, this is Nick Stokes. We're with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. We were hoping we could take a look at Miss Karen Gordan's work station."

"Unless you got a warrant, no-can-do" the girl deadpanned. The pair must have looked surprised, because the girl let out an exasperated sigh. "Look" she explained, "My dad used to be a lawyer, so I know my rights. Growing up around all that legal mumbo-jumbo crap does that to a person. Mr. Hobbes doesn't like anyone going back there. So…don't let the door hit you."

Sara shared a frustrated look with Nick before telling the girl, "Well, Jack Hobbes is dead. So I don't think he'll mind."

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A/N: I think this chapter is a bit shorter than the other two, but I'm not sure exactly how I want to divvy up the next few sections. It's still good, though, right? Reassure me... I love reading reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: If anyone thinks that I actually own CSI, then leave your email. You're good people. For the rest of you living on a little planet I like to call Earth, the only thing I own is the plot.

A/N: I'm running out of things to write here, so I'll just mention how I love to use "…" in my sentences. I might be bordering on obsessed. Thanks for the reviews, and on with the fic.

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"So" Nick asked, "How well did you know Mr. Hobbes, exactly?"

He and the girl working the info counter were seated in two of the chairs along the wall, Nick asking her a few basic questions while Sara snooped around Karen's desk down the hall.

"Well enough" she answered, "I even house-sit for him from time to time. Asked me to do it just a few days ago, actually. Gave me his key and I watered his plants, got the mail…easy stuff like that. Extra money came in handy. I mean, this job isn't exactly a cash cow, ya' know?"

Nick nodded. _'So she had access to the house…but what about motive?'_ he thought. "And Karen Gordan?" he probed.

"Ugh. The way the guys in here droll over her, you'd think she was Miss America or something, instead of a chick who used to work down in the casinos." She rolled her eyes, "Hell, even my sorry excuse for a brother keeps hanging out here on his break. Used to work with her…misses her company, he says, even though she won't even give him the time of day." The girl looked oddly satisfied at the announcement of this information. "I guess I wouldn't mind her so much if she didn't keep trying to be my best friend" she shrugged.

"Huh" Nick vocalized, "I see. Well, thanks for talking with me, Miss- …uh, I'm sorry, I don't seem to have caught your name."

"That's cuz I didn't throw it" the girl said, dryly. "It's Janet, by the way. Janet Fisher."

"Alright, well, thanks Janet" Nick said, standing up as Sara approached them.

'Nothing' she mouthed, shaking her head at Nick.

"Yeah, whatever" Janet sighed. "Can I get back to work now?"

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When Nick and Sara got back to the lab, there was no sign of Grissom. Nick shrugged it off. "Probably still at Hobbes' house" he reasoned as he and Sara walked towards the break room.

Sara nodded, "Yeah. But still, all he had to do was pick up a knife."

Nick elbowed her lightly, "C'mon. I know the infamous Sara "Overtime-is-God" Sidle might not appreciate a 10 minute break, but I sure do." He grinned cheekily as he collapsed on the break room couch. "Hey Warrick" he greeted his friend, who was lounging on a chair at the table.

"Oh, hey Nick. Sara."

Sara smiled at Warrick before shooting Nick a mock angry glare. She sat next to him on the couch. "Say, Warrick?" she asked, "How is it working with Greg?"

Warrick shook his head, closing the manila folder on the table in front of him. "All I can say is there might be _another_ missing persons filed soon if I've got anything to say about it."

"That bad, man?" Nick chuckled.

Warrick sighed, "It's just…you think his music is bad when he just listens to it? Wait 'til you hear him hum it… or worse, sing. Loudly."

Sara cracked a smile as Nick laughed. Warrick just rolled his eyes, grinning a bit. "Yeah, yeah. Just remember this when you've got to work with him."

"Work with whom, Warrick?" Grissom asked calmly, walking into the break room.

"What? Oh, um, nothing. No one, Grissom." He got up, collecting his folder and coffee mug sitting on the table. "Hey, I've got some stuff in the lab; should be ready for me by now. Let me know how your case goes." Grissom stepped aside to let him through the door.

"Good luck, man" Nick called out.

"Yeah, you too" Warrick replied, before walking off down the hallway.

Grissom took his vacated seat before addressing Nick and Sara. "Before you ask, I didn't find any sort of, or anything remotely resembling a knife, in our vic's house. Whatever the killer used, he took it with him."

"So we've got nothing new from the house" Sara sighed.

"Not exactly" Grissom corrected her, smiling slightly. "I don't know how or if it's relevant to the case, but I did find this on the kitchen floor." He held up a small evidence bag containing what appeared to be…

"An exacto-knife blade?" Nick asked.

"Correct" replied Grissom. "The edge, you'll notice, has a small sample of liquid on it. Tested positive for blood. I've already swabbed it and sent it to Greg." He placed the evidence on the table. "Assuming it's not his, it proves someone was there…within the past few days, I'd imaging, otherwise Hobbes probably would have found it."

Nick turned to Sara, before telling Grissom, "I think we know who."

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A/N: Nothing really to say. Next chapter includes an interrogation, so you have that to look forward to while you're reviewing. cough cough


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I still didn't own it…

A/N: Oh yeah! Snow day today! I'm so excited. Particularly because we were supposed to have one on Tuesday (like, 6 inches) but I didn't see a single flake. I love snow days…especially the ones like this one when I'm the first one awake in the house and I have the downstairs all to myself!

_Warning: I'm rating this chapter a tiny bit higher due to some course language (one word, I think, but still…)And the next shift in plot here is probably not something I'd want a five year old reading. It's not graphic or anything, but it kind of implies it. I guess you'll find out. So just be aware of that. _

Thanks for the awesome reviews, which are way cooler than any snow day, and without any further ado, I present to you, chapter 5!

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"I already told you: I was in his house two days ago. House sitting. So what?"

Nick regarded Janet from his position behind the window looking into the interrogation room. Grissom looked calm, sitting in a metal chair across from the girl. Brass sat next to him, arms resting casually on the table, while Sara opted to lean against the back wall, arms crossed. Janet's appointed attorney sat straight up in his chair next to the girl; apparently Janet's "lawyer" father also happened to be a dead-beat one. "Lives out of state, God knows where" she'd explained when asked, "Who needs the bastard?"

"Janet" Grissom sighed, using a voice one might use to scold a child, "You had access to his house."

"He _gave_ me his key" she spat venomously.

"Did you return it?" Sara cut in.

"No. I didn't see him. He always pays me beforehand, and I return the key to him the next day at work. What? You'd rather me leave it in his mailbox at the dealership where anyone could grab it?"

Brass raised an eyebrow. _'Kid's got a point'_ he thought. Obviously, Grissom thought so too, as he changed tactics. "Janet, we found this in Mr. Hobbes' house. Do you recognize it?"

Her attorney came to life as Grissom place the evidence bag containing the small exacto blade on the table. "You don't have to answer that, Janet" he warned, but she laughed him off.

"Whatever" she scoffed, rolling up her sleeves. "Sure I recognize it. It's mine."

Behind the glass, Nick did a double take: thin red cuts and pink puffy scars ran up and down Janet's arms, criss-crossing and intersecting one another. Inside the interrogation room, an uncomfortable silence had settled. Janet was the first to break it.

"Look, it's just a hobby, alright? Not the end of the world. It helps me keep myself in check." She shrugged, her attitude suggesting it was no big deal.

Grissom looked shocked, carefully phrasing his next question: "Why -"

She cut him off. "Look, rough day at school, work…you need to find a release. Some people run around the block a few times; my brother holes himself in his room and plays his guitar. I do this." She looked around, only to be greeted with looks of disbelief. She continued, clearly exasperated. "Unbelievable." she directed her next comment at Sara. "Lets say…this guy, Dr. Grissom was it, pisses you off one day. Kicks you out of the office ore something. I dunno, catches you and your boyfriend making out on company time and gets pissy. Jealous, angry, whatever. You go home and do something to make yourself feel better, right? Well so do I. That's all this is" she explained, tracing some of the newest cuts on her arms almost lovingly.

No one spoke; Grissom suddenly found his shoes incredibly interesting, Sara was making a point to stare fixedly at the wall. It was Brass who spoke, "I, uh, think that's all for now."

Janet got up, her chair scraping against the ground. "Look, just because I did this-" she held out her arms "-doesn't mean I killed the guy."

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Nick caught up with Sara and Grissom as they exited the interrogation room; Sara walking a few paces ahead of their supervisor.

"So" he started, "We're pretty much back to square one, huh?"

Grissom sighed, "So it seems."

Sara let out a hiss of air, clearly frustrated. "So we'll go back to the house. Find out where our guy came in?"

"At least we'll have something" Nick agreed, "If we know where and how he came in the house, we might find where he came from."

Grissom nodded thoughtfully. "We'll recreate the scene."

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A/N: You see what I mean now about the not wanting a five-year old reading it? It's just the cutting really. I thought it made a kind of interesting character… I had the idea for a bit, now, and inserted it into the story. I think it worked out pretty well. I don't know a lot about the subject, but I've read a few books dealing with the problem. I hope I didn't turn it into some huge stereotype kind of thing.

Sorry this chapter is so short, but in the next chapter there's the biggest moment of Snicker's yet involving close proximities and a certain brown chair. But I'm holding it for hostage until people review. Hee hee….not really.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: If you don't know the drill by now, then yes. I own CSI. If you've any common sense or have been paying attention to these little disclaimers, then no. I don't own CSI.

A/N: Nothing really to say right now. Thanks for the reviews and I hope you like this chapter. I think it longer than most of the others, to make up for the last one, which I think was shorter. Either that or I'm a paranoid freak who wants all of her chapters to be the exact same length. Your call.

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The three stood once again in the doorway to the living room. Even with the furniture and photos moved back to their original positions for the re-enactment the place was still a mess.

"Ok, so, according to Miss Gordan's statement, she and Hobbes were here" Nick said, "on this chair."

"Right" Sara nodded. "Hobbes saw the attacker first; Miss Gordan had to turn around to see him."

Grissom scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Nick, you're about the same build as Mr. Hobbes. Find a comfortable position on that chair, but make sure you can see Sara and me in the doorway."

Nick dipped his head in a small nod, before taking a seat. "Man, this is nice" he chuckled, sinking into the comfortable chair.

"But can you see me or Sara?" Grissom reminded him.

"Right" Nick said, "Let's see…"

After a few minutes of twisting around on the chair while Grissom and Sara looked on, Sara clearly amused, nick found it. His body was perpendicular to the seat; he was leaning against the arm of the chair, facing his supervisor. On leg hung of the front of the chair, the other was draped over the other armrest. "Now what?" he asked.

"We get Miss Gordan in the picture" Grissom supplied, his tone suggesting that was the only logical next step. "Sara, without blocking Nick's view, find a comfortable position on the chair, with your back to me."

Sara looked surprised, but composed herself quickly, raising an eyebrow as she approached Nick. Nick shot her a grin as she tried to find a comfortable position. Another few minutes (coupled with Nick's yelp as Sara accidentally kneed him in the gut) and they found the winning position.

Nick coughed, sharing and amused look with Sara. He could only imagine what Grissom must be thinking; with Sara half straddling-half kneeling on him, her hands splayed across his chest, their position looked compromising to say the least. Nick took a shallow breath, some remote part of his brain registering that Sara's face was mere inches apart from his. He could feel her war breath on his lips as she shot an eyebrow up demurely, unconsciously licking her lips.

Nick felt Sara start to slip from her position; he placed one hand on the small of her back to help steady her. His fingers rested on the small sliver of exposed skin where her shirt and ridden up; just a few inches, but enough to send a jolt of electricity through Nick's body. Sara closer her eyes, gasping softly at the unexpected, though not unwelcome, contact, before opening them to see Nick smiling almost sheepishly at her. She pursed her lips in an attempt to keep from smiling, when Grissom cleared his throat.

"Are you two all set?" he asked. "Comfortable? Nick, you can see me, and Sara, you can't, right?"

Sara just nodded her head, still watching nick, so he answered for both of them, "Uh, yeah Gris. We're cool."

"Good." He glanced around the room. "Nick, you found shards of glass _outside_ the window, indicating it was broken from inside the house. We can assume that's our perp's egress route. The only other was into the living room is this doorway, making it our point of entry. Let's assume I'm out perp."

"Ok. Well, according to Miss Gordan, she and our vic were, uh, otherwise occupied -" Sara supplied, blushing slightly (which did not go unnoticed by Nick) "-so, Gris, you'd have to be pretty much right at the chair for Nick, Hobbes, to notice you."

"Exactly what are you implying, Miss Sidle?" Nick whispered cheekily, as Grissom approached the pair, eliciting a surprised look from Sara, who shushed him. Nick grinned and rolled his eyes. "So then I notice him, Sara turns around when I don't answer what's wrong, and gets socked in the eye."

"Right" Sara confirmed as they played it out. "I fall on the ground; perp grabs me, knife to my throat."

Grissom helped her off the floor before positioning himself behind her. "I tell Nick to get up -" the Texan pulled himself off the chair and into a standing position "-before…"

"I bite you" Sara cut in. "You push me, and I land…here." She knelt by the coffee table before lying on the floor. "So Karen's out of the picture; hit her head on the edge of the table."

"Right" Nick filled in. "Gris, you said our guy had defensive wounds on his hands, so…what? Our perp charges at Hobbes?"

"That would seem likely" Grissom agreed, stepping towards Nick.

Sara pulled herself to a seated position on the floor, narrating as her coworker and supervisor acted out the scene. "They struggle. Hobbes sustains injuries to his face and chest, non-fatal. But Hobbes must have gotten a hit at our perp with that broken champagne glass Gris and I found. Our guy overpowers him, gets him against the wall?"

"Yes" nodded Grissom from where he and Nick were standing against the wall.

"He slits Hobbes' throat, left to right. This position matches the trajectory f blood spatter on the wall" noted Nick, before Grissom's cell phone rang.

"Grissom" he answered it. "Good. Yeah, they're with me. We'll be right over." He hung up, telling Nick and Sara as they walked out of the house. "That was Greg. He's got out results."

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A/N: So, what do you guys think? Let me know :D


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Let's try to move past that, shall we?

A/N: Ok, so the way I figure, there'll be about two more chapters. I've written them already (remember? I write them in my bed in this really cool folder that makes me feel all special) but I haven't decided how I want to divvy them up. I figure there'll just be a really long chapter somewhere soon. I guess we'll see. Also, I'd like to apologize for any spelling mistakes. I wish I could blame it on my cat, but he didn't want to help me type this up. I read it over the best I can, but sleepy eyes make for bad editors XD.

Again, I'm upping the rating in this chapter for course language (two words, this time, I think, but better safe than sorry, right?)

Anyways, as always, thanks for the reviews. I really like reading them. And now, I present to you drum roll please Chapter 7!

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"Sorry it took so long, guys" Greg greeted them as they walked in the lab, shooting them an apologetic grin. "Between working this case with Warrick and having Ecklie breathing down my neck; told me to make his stuff _priority_ just because his case is so publicize and he's feeling the heat from his old pal, the sheriff…" Greg let out a huff of air before continuing. "Anyways, you stuff's done, so sit back, relax, and watch the magic." He snapped his latex gloves showily, grinning, before launching into his findings.

"First off, blood on the walls? Your vic, Jack Hobbes. Blood from the table? Miss Gordan. Blood swab from the champagne glass, though, came back unknown sample. No hits, but hey, you can't win them all, right?" he asked Grissom, before buckling under the supervisor's superior-looking glare. "Ok then, moving on… I've isolated some of the prints on the door. They match your two vics, and Janet Fisher. I still can't give you anything else on those. Nick, that fiber you found caught in the window won't help you much either. White cotton, about as generic as it gets. Could be a white t-shirt, could be anything. Shoeprint's pretty inconclusive too…size 10 1/2, looks like a converse from what I've found online, but you know how it is. Every one's wearing those things today."

Sara grinned and patted Nick on the shoulder, her hand lingering a moment longer than necessary. "Three strikes, you're out, Nicky. Too bad. What about the stuff Gris and I found, Greg?"

"You can't use a baseball analogy if you don't even watch the sport" Nick complained, as Greg Handed Sara a manila folder.

"DNA results" he explained. "I think you'll find this interesting. You know that exacto blade Grissom found? Blood on it has _quite_ a few alleles in common with the hair you found, which, I might add, matches the blood on the champagne glass. Didn't that Fisher girl cop to using the blade?"

"Yeah, she did" Sara said. "So…parent or -"

"Sibling" Nick offered grimly, eliciting an affirmative nod from Greg.

"Let's go pay the Fisher household a visit" Grissom spoke quietly, blue eyes gleaming like they always did at the climax of a big case.

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The trio stood on the wooden patio of a moderate sized house, Grissom rapping the brass door-knocker smartly.

"Nice digs" Nick observed, taking a step back to look at the house. His attention returned to the task at hand when the door opened.

"Oh Jesus. What do you guys want now?" an exasperated Janet greeted them.

"We're here to take a look at your house" Grissom spoke matter-o-factly, before the teen rolled her eyes.

"I told those two before" she sighed, jerking her thumb to indicate Nick and Sara, "I know my rights. You can't just come barging into my house."

Nick grinned. "But the lady's got a warrant" he said, as Sara held up the paper, smiling.

Janet grumbled something under her breath as she steeped aside, allowing Grissom and his team to view inside the house. He pointed to two officers at the end of the driveway. "If you'd just step outside with those two…anyone else home?"

"Just my idiot brother" grimaced Janet, "Our Mom's out somewhere…probably with her new flavor of the week."

"We're going to need to have him step outside as well -" Nick started, before the girl called loudly up the stairs.

"KYLE! GET DOWN HERE!"

Loud footsteps could be heard stomping around upstairs before thundering down the steps. "Janet? What the hell is…why, hell-ooo gorgeous" the man said, grinning cockily at Sara. Sara in turn resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead pursing her lips and cocking an eyebrow, leaving a "you've-got-to-be-kidding-me" expression on her face.

The man, who looked to be about 25 stood next to his sister, and ignoring the fact that upon hi appearance, Nick had subconsciously moved closer to his female co-worker, and ignoring Grissom completely, he spoke to Sara. "How can we, I, help you?"

"We're going to need to borrow you're house for a while" Nick spoke up, his Texan drawl a little more pronounced as he spoke in a harsher tone then necessary. He made a mental note to himself; the man was wearing converse sneakers. Sharing a look with both Sara and Grissom, he realized they made the same observation.

"They've got a warrant, dumb ass. We get to be babysitted by a couple of cops" Janet informed her brother, crossing her arms.

"Let me know if you see anything you like" Kyle leered suggestively, winking at Sara as he and his sister walked to the end of the driveway.

Sara shook her head in disgust as Grissom handed out the assignments. "Nick, you go talk to Mr. Fisher. See what you can find out. Sara, you take the kitchen, backyard grill, wherever you might find a serrated knife. Test whatever you find with luminal, print them and bag them. I'll take a look up in the brother's room; see if there's anything useful to us up there."

Grissom waited for Nick and Sara to walk off in their separate ways before grabbing his kit and trudging up the stairs.

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A/N: Alright! Just two more chapters, so get those reviews in. Interrogation is coming up in the next chapter, and everything hits the fan. We find out (well, actually, you guys find out, because I already know) who did what. If that's not motive for you to review, I don't know what is! Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'm glad you like it. Until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. _Own_: a grammatical word emphasizing that somebody or something belongs to a particular person or thing and not to somebody or something else. So much pain in such a little word.

A/N: I just want to take this time to thank you guys for reading. The story's almost over, I'm leaning towards one more chapter after this one. But anyways, I seriously appreciate you're reading my writing, and I hope it wasn't a waste of your time so far. Or yet.

I'm upping the rating one more time for a little bit of course language (like last time, just a few words, actually, probably around 5 or 6, but…)

Enjoy!

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"Alright" Nick started, sanding across form Janet and Kyle, who were both leaning against the police cruiser. "Kyle, is it?" After an affirmative nod from the man, Nick continued, "Exactly how old are you?"

"26" came the gruff reply, "Since about half a year ago. Why, you wanna come to my next party?"

Nick chose to ignore him, instead asking, "And you work…?"

"Down on the strip. Tangiers" he interrupted. "I make pretty good pay, too. Plus you get membership to one of their gyms. As long as there're no paying customers doing yoga or some crap like that, I get free access to the machines. Even after hours. It's pretty sweet."

Nick looked the guy up and down; although he hated to admit it, Kyle looked like he took advantage of the gym a lot. He was, even for 26, rather large.

Kyle just smirked. "Now it's my turn for a question. That chick you work with, the one inside. What's her story? Is she single?" Kyle shot Nick, what was in his opinion, a very sleazy grin before the CSI shook off his question, clenching his jaw to keep from snapping.

"I'm not done with my questions yet, pal" Nick said protectively. "So why don't we talk about Karen Gordan. She used to work with you, right?"

The CSI could have sworn he saw a flicker of emotion…fear? jealousy?...flicker across the man's face upon the mention of Karen's name, but if he did, Kyle recovered quickly. "Uh, yeah. I guess so. I don't really remember."

His sister next to him snickered loudly. Kyle sot her a dirty look before explaining to Nick. "I think she left… a while ago. Three months, at least. I don't really recall. We weren't that close."

"Then how do you explain this?" asked a curious Grissom as he walked down the driveway. He held up a photograph of Karen and Kyle, kissing for the camera. "Found it in your room" the supervisor explained to a very surly looking Kyle.

Grissom turned to Nick, mouthing _'Sara found the knife'_. Nick made a quick motion to the two officers, who promptly moved to stand one on either side of Kyle.

"Ever ridden in a cop car before?" Nick asked him while the officers aided Kyle into the cruiser, just as Sara emerged from the house, a triumphant look on her face and a large evidence bag in her hand.

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Nick and Sara shared a frustrated glance; the two CSIs were seated on metal chairs in the interrogation room. Kyle slouched on an identical chair across the table from Sara, declining legal representation, and behind him, leaning against the wall, stood a very agitated looking Jim Brass.

Brass sighed, "Look pal, not that I'd like to be here all night, but the longer we sit here with you not saying anything? That's money in my pocket. Gotta' lover overtime, huh? But what I don't get is why you want to stay here so badly. Just like my company?" Brass grinned sourly before pressing the man, "So let's try this one more time: What happened?"

Kyle just crossed his arms defiantly.

Sara pushed a clear evidence bag on the table toward shim. "We found this knife in your house. Tested positive for blood. We matched it to Jack Hobbes. Your prints are all over it. We also," she added, "found a key in your room. The one Mr. Hobbes gave your sister while she was house-sitting. Though you'd just…borrow it for a while?"

The man's eyes narrowed, before addressing the two CSIs. "Karen wasn't evens supposed to be there. I mean, Jesus, the man just got back from a trip, you'd think he'd chill for the night. Damned idiot. Having her there almost ruined everything."

Nick leaned forward in his chair as Brass asked, "We know you and Karen used to be close. Your sister told us Karen broke it off with you. But you didn't take that very well, huh? Tough guy like you? So, then what? What happened at Mr. Hobbes' house?"

"So I had the knife from my kitchen. Walked over to his place, got in with the key I stole from Janet. Karen and him were both on that chair…bastard couldn't keep his hands off her. I punched her, on her eye, when she turned around…it's not like I wanted to hurt her, but she was there and I needed her out of the way."

Kyle rubbed the bridge of his nose, oblivious to the fact that Nick and Sara shot each other quick glances at the mention of the chair, which they both remembered quite fondly.

Kyle continued, almost in a monotone, "She fell and I picked her up. I had to hold the knife to her throat, just to show that prick Hobbes who was boss. But she bit me. I pushed her away; she fell near the table but didn't get up. I checked on her real quick; she was breathing so I figured she was alright. Then I dealt with Hobbes. He'd broken a glass or something and came at me with it." Kyle laughed cruelly as he continued, "Dude was a wimp. He got one scratch on my hand before I pinned him to the wall and -" he pantomimed slashing Hobbes' throat, sliding one finger across his Addams apple. "I tried cutting out his heart, too…poetic justice, right? But it was too hard. So I left him there. Grabbed Karen's ring and split through the window when I heard a neighbor's dog barking. Thought someone saw me."

Brass just looked disgusted as Nick nodded, "Yeah. We found the ring in your room, man. Looks like it was busted up pretty bad."

"I smashed it against the coffee table and took the piece wit me" sneered Kyle.

"So…what? If you break the ring it's like Karen never fell in love with Jack? They never fell in love and she'd throw herself back at you?" Sara quipped. She seemed to have hit a nerve.

"SHUT UP!" Kyle bellowed, lunging across the table at Sara, tackling her to the ground.

Brass fumbled around the man's chair, which was thrown against him as Kyle had jumped out of it, as two officers charged through the doorway, although it was Nick who pried the guy off Sara first, throwing him against the wall. The two officers rounded on Kyle, pinning his arms to his sides, as Nick knelt down by Sara.

Sara gritted her teeth angrily before whispering softly, "Thanks Nick". She gingerly rubbed the side of her face where she had hit the ground.

Nick watched her, eyes full of concern. "God Sara" he breathed heavily, "I mean…Jesus." He swore under his breath. "Are you ok?"

He traced the side of her face tentatively with his thumb, cupping her chin with his hand. They locked eyes before Brass coughed, bringing the pair back to reality. Nick shook his head before helping Sara up. _'She'd just been attacked'_ he thought bitterly,_ 'The last thing she needed was him hitting on her'_

They returned to their original seats, as had Kyle, although this time two officers stood next to him, holding him down. Brass relocated to the other side of the room, standing behind Nick and Sara, a reassuring hand placed on the back of her chair.

Kyle stared venomously as Sara. "Shut up" he spat, "Just shut up. Karen loves me." He huffed angrily before adding in a low, deadly tone, "Bitch. Good thing your _boyfriend_ was here to save you."

Nick clenched his fist under the table as Bras interrupted, "Ok, ok, that's enough."

Sara, Nick, and Brass watched in uncomfortable silence as the officers cuffed Kyle and led him out of the room.

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A/N: Whew…so much drama. Ok, one chapter left to tie up the lose strings (i.e.: Nick and Sara :D). Let me know what you guys think, and see you one last time for the next chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

Title: Can't Take It

Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.

Disclaimer: At this point, if you think in _any_ way that I own anything but Janet, Kyle, and the plot, then I just don't know what to say.

A/N: I'll put all of my thoughts at the end of this chapter this time. I want to get right to the story.

Again, this is rated a little higher…one word, this time, I think.

Just one thing before I forget: Grissom really _did_ tell Sara that if she gets angry, the perp wins. I forget which episode, but it's the one where the two ladies conspire to kill their husbands… something like that. Anyways, on with the fic.

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Sara slammed her hands on the table, before standing up so quickly her metal chair scraped across the floor. "I'm going to…" she sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "You guys don't need me, right?"

Without waiting for an answer, she blew out of the room, storming by a very bewildered looking Grissom. Nick shot Brass an apologetic glance; the detective just shooed the CSI out of the room with a wave of his and hand a very knowing look.

Nick caught up to his supervisor in the hallway.

"Nick?" Grissom asked calmly. "What was that?"

"What?"

"Sara just came bowling through here."

Nick sighed inwardly; how Grissom could remain so cal, almost detached, made him want to scream sometimes. When Nick realized he was waiting for an answer, he replied, "Our perp's an ass, that's what. Excuse me."

And with that, he left a confused looking Grissom in the hallway as he took after Sara.

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He found her in the break room, slumped on the couch, idly nursing a cup of coffee. He knocked on the doorframe.

"Mind if I come in?" he asked, before settling down next to her, throwing an arm across the back of the sofa. "You wanna…"

"Talk about it? No." Sara said flatly, not looking at him.

"Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to share some of that coffee, but your idea's better" Nick joked, watching her.

She rolled her eyes; a small grin flitted across her lips before she spoke, "Someone once told me not to get angry. If we, If I, get angry, it means he wins." Her voice quavered, and in a rare moment of vulnerability, one that melted Nick's hear, she choked out, "I don't want him to win, Nicky."

"Oh Sara" Nick consoled her, pulling her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "The guy's a jerk. And he's going to jail, Sara. That means he loses."

Sara just inhaled deeply, tucking her head into Nick's shoulder. "I know" she admitted, her words muffled by Nick's shirt. "But…I just wasn't expecting him to…"

Nick shushed her, using one hand to take her coffee mug from her shaky grasp and setting it on the table. "It's over now. It's done."

Sara just sighed deeply before settling back into the couch, her head still resting comfortably on Nick's shoulder. "I, uh, don't remember whether or not I told you this already, but…thanks. For, I mean, not just for back there but for this too. It's…nice."

Nick just smiled at her, feeling her relax as he draped an arm around her shoulder. "You're welcome" he told her. "I'm just glad you're alright. I mean… I don't know what I would've done." He hesitated before adding, "You're really important to me, Sar."

"You, too, Nicky" Sara murmured, closing her eyes and resting, content with sitting next to Nick , his fingers lightly brushing up and down her arm. She opened her eyes to find Nick watching her. But something was different in the way he looked at her. And then it clicked.

"Nick?" she whispered, before their lips brushed each others in a soft, chaste kiss.

Sara pulled away first, raising a finger to her lips. "Nick. I am _so_ sorry -" she started.

Nick tried to interrupt her. "Sara"

"- I mean, I shouldn't make you feel like you need to do this to cheer me up -"

"Sara…"

"-because you're a really good friend to me and I don't want to feel like you're being forced into anything regardless of how I -"

"SARA!"

"- feel." Sara finished feebly, before Nick dipped his head, capturing her lips with his own.

Nick smiled against her lips, feeling her respond to his kiss as he snaked his arms around her waist once more, pulling her a close to him as she could physically be.

"Hey Nick? You seen Sara anywhere? Grissom heard about what happened and said the DA'll wanna know if she's pressing…" Warrick rambled as he walked into the break room, apparently not expecting to walk into a private moment between two of his co-workers. "…charges. Whoa. I'll, uh, just give you guys a minute" he said, fighting the smug smile that threatened to appear on his face.

Nick and Sara had pulled apart by now, Nick shooting Warrick a lazy grin as Sara spoke, "I'm planning on getting the forms on my way out." She looked like she was about to say more, but didn't. Warrick just watched the two of them before shuffling the files in his hand idly.

He cleared his throat. "Alright, I'll let him know on my way to the lab. Gotta see a man about some DNA" he grinned, indicating the files. "Hey Sara?" he asked, becoming serious. "You sure you're ok?"

"Yeah Warrick. I'm….fine. Thanks, though" Sara nodded.

"Cool" Warrick said, before walking out of the break room, closing the door behind him with a not-so-subtle wink.

Nick let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "That was awkward" he stated, glancing towards Sara.

She merely smiled, and resumed the flirty banter they'd shared for as long as either of them could remember, teasing, "Yeah…but you'll get better with some practice" before their lips met for a third time that day. This time, Nick was the one to pull away.

"Cute, Sara" he grinned, pulling her on to his lap, "But that wasn't what I meant."

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The End

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A/N: Ok, so I guess I'll just wrap up with one final plea for reviews before going into my little spheal (is that even a word?)I just wanted to than everyone who reviewed; reading them always bought a smile to my face, and made me want to write and update more. I'd like to thank anyone and everyone who read it (even if they didn't review) because…well, it makes me feel good :D Hope you guys liked it!


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